Device for controlling the delivery of articles in vending machines



June 1, 1954 F. N. JAMES 2,680,050 DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE DELIVERYOF ARTICLES IN VENDING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l 333& 23: se

fimz/m 4/. L/AMES IN VEN TOR.

AT TORNEY June 1, 1954 F. N. JAMES DEVICE FOR CON TROLLING THE DELIVERYOF ARTICLES IN VENDING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 qwo4 242- mymyllugmu dy EQAZ/ER /V. JAMES IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY June I, 1954 Filed April 4, 1951 F. N. JAMES DEVICE FORCONTROLLING THE DELIVERY OF ARTICLES IN VENDING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet3 FRAZ/ER M JAMES INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE OF ARTICLES INVE NDIN G MACHINES Frazier N. James, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Lone StarVender Corp., Dallas, Tex.

Application April 4, 1951, Serial No. 219,252

Claims. 1

This invention relates to vending machines and more particularly tomachines for vending bottles or similar articles.

In machines for vending bottles of beverage or similar articles, it isoften necessary, due to space limitations and other factors, to storethe bottles in two or more narrow vertical chutes, each chute containinga single column of bottles. A dispensing device is located beneath oneof the chutes to dispense the lowermost bottle during each vendingoperation. The bottles in the chute immediately above the dispensingdevice which may be termed the main chute, are all vended before anybottles from the other chute, which may be termed an auxiliary chute areallowed to move into the main chute to be vended in their turn. In orderthat the bottles in the auxiliary chute be prevented from interferingwith the movement of the bottles in the main chute, a control devicemust be provided to prevent movement of bottles from the auxiliary chuteinto the main chute until the topmost bottle in the main chute fallsbelow a predetermined movement and to allow such movement when thetopmost bottle falls below the predetermined level. Moreover, thecontrol device must prevent the bottles moving from the auxiliary chuteinto the main chute from moving upwardly in the main chute.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new andimproved vending machine for bottles or the like.

It is another object to provide a new and improved vending machinehaving a pair of vertical chutes, each adapted to contain a column ofarticles, and a control device for preventing the articles in one chutefrom entering into the other chute until the topmost article in theother chute falls below a predetermined level.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a new andimproved vending machine having two vertical chutes and means fordispensing articles from the chutes, all the articles from one chutebeing dispensed before any articles I from the other chute aredispensed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improvedcontrol device to prevent movement of articles from one storage chamberuntil articles from an adjacent chamber are exhausted.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new andimproved control device to prevent movement of articles from one storagechamber until articles from an adjacent chamber are exhausted and toprevent upward move- .ment of the articles from the storage chamber 2after the articles in the adjacent chamber are exhausted.

Briefly stated, the new and improved control device for preventingmovement of articles from one vertical chute into another throughpassage communicating with both chutes comprises a pivoted lever havingat one end a blade which is adapted to partly close the passage andprevent the passage of articles therethrough from one chute to the otherand having at-the other end a mass which tends to move the bladeupwardly to open the passage. A locking bar is pivotally hung on thewall of one chute and is provided with a spur which is adapted to lockthe blade in closed position. The locking bar is maintained in lookingposition by articles in one of the chutes which contact it and is movedinto unlocked position by the force exerted by an article or articles inthe other chute when the articles in the first chute fall to positionswhere they no longer contact the locking bar. A hinged flap also partlycloses the passage and is moved up wardly by articles moving from onechute to the other. A second spur on the locking bar limits the upwardmovement of the flap which is thus maintained in an obstructing positionin the other chute to prevent upward movement of the articles therein.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingand its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front plan view, with the front door removed, of a vendingmachine equipped with the control device;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the blade, locking bar and flap gateas they appear when the blade is in open position; and,

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical controlcircuit for the motors driving the dispensing devices.

In the drawing the general frame structure of the cabinet of the machineis indicated by the numeral I0 and comprises a back wall II and sidewalls [2 and I3 which may be rigidly secured to back wall by screws [4or in any other conventional manner. A supporting panel I5 is secured tothe walls l2 and (3 by screws 56. A plurality of vertical channelmembers H to 22 have their lower ends rigidly secured to the supportingpanel i5 by means of screws 23. The channel members ll to 22 support thefront edges of vertical partitions 24 whose rear flanges 26 are securedto the rear wall H and whose upper flanges 2'? are secured to the top 28of the structure it. Any conventional means, such as screws or bolts maybe employed to secure the partitions 25.

The partition 24a and an irregularly shaped plate 29 secured to the rearwall H and the side wall 12 form a vertical main chute 38 while thepartition 24b and a partition 3i form an auxiliary chute 32. ridges awhich serve as guides to maintain the bottles properly positioned in themain chute. The partition 3% has a rear flange 33 secured to the rearwall and an upper flange 38 secured to the top 28. The bottom of theauxiliary chute 32 is closed by an inclined trough-shaped member whichis secured to the rear wall ii, the channel member ii and the partition3! by screws or other conventional means. The lower edge of the inclinedmember 35 is disposed beneath and spaced from the lower edges of thepartitions 24a and 241) so that bottles from the auxiliary chute 32 mayroll down the inclined member 55 into the main chute 35 through thepassage 33 so formed.

The lowermost bottle in the auxiliary chute 52 which rests on theinclined member 35 is prevented from rolling into the main chute, whenbottles are disposed in the chute to a level above the lower edge of theinclined member, by a blade 37 on one end of a lever 38 pivotallymounted on a pin 39 whose ends are journaled in a pair of blocks ii] andG! rigidly secured to the partitions 24a and 2th by any conventionalmeans. A mass or counterweight 42 is secured to the other end of thelever 38 and tends to raise the blade 3! to open the passage 35. It isnecessary, therefore, to provide a locking device to maintain the blade37 in its lowermost closed position.

The locking device comprises a locking bar 43 whose upper end ispivotally hung on a pin 5 whose ends are journaled in a bifurcatedbracket 55 secured to the partition 24a by screws 55. The locking bar 43has a central rib ill from which extends substantially perpendicularly aspur 43 having a cam surface I) which is adapted to engage a roller 45rotatably mounted on the upper edge of blade 3? by means of a shaft 50.The shaft may be secured to the blade 3'! by screws 5i. When the lockingbar 43 is in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, the spur :33 engagesthe roller as and prevents upward movement of the blade Bl. If thelocking bar is now swung to the left, the blade will move upwardly sincethe weight 42 overbalances blade 3?. A second roller 52 is rotatablymounted on the extension 53 of the blade and normally bears against thepartition 24a. The roller 52 is provided to maintain the blade in properposition. The rollers 49 and 52 are employed instead of knobs, whichcould be used in their stead, to decrease friction and prevent bindingwhich could occur due to wear, corrosion of contacting surfaces or thepresence of foreign matter therebetween.

The central rib 41 of the locking bar 43 is adapted to enter a slot 54in a flap 55 pivotally mounted on the partition 24a by a hinge 55-. Theedge 51 of the flap 55 which defines the inner edge of the slot 54 isadapted to bear against a second spur 58 to limit the upward movementofthe The plate 29 is provided with vertical l flap, see Figure 5. Theflap 55 is provided with a pair of bottle engaging stops 59 and 55fastened along the lower edge of the flap by screws 6|. These stops holdbottles in spaced relation to the flap and prevent frictional wearthereon. The

xtension 53 extends through a slot 62 in the web of the channel memberH. The upper edge 53 of the slot limits the pivotal upward movement ofthe extension 53 and therefore of the blade 3'2. A bolt 55 extendsthrough the flanges of the channel member ll and the partitions 24a. and24b and l'u'nits the pivotal downward movement of the extension 53.

The locking bar 48 and the flap 55 will remain in the positions shown inFigures 3 and i as long as a bottle is positioned in the main chute 30which bears against the locking bar 13. The bottle need exert only avery slight force on the looking bar since the contact of the spur itwith the roller 49 will prevent the blade from moving upwardly. Thelocking bar and the blade will remain in the positions shown in Figures3 and 4. as long as no force is exerted on the flap or the locking barto move it to the left as seen in Figure 3. The blade ill will restrainthe lowermost bottle in the auxiliary chute 32 from entering into themain chute. This will be true even if a considerable number of bottlesare stacked one on top of another in the auxiliary chute. The lowermostbottle in the auxiliary chute also exerts a very slight force on theflap 55, and therefore on the locking bar 53, tending to move theirlower ends upwardly. When the topmost bottle in the main chute 35descends below the lower end I) of the locking bar therefore, thelocking bar will be moved pivotally about its pin 44 toward the positionshown in Figure '5. The weight 42, of course, also tends to move thelocking bar about its pin 45 toward the position shown in Figure 5 sincethe roller as contacts and bears against the spur at. The spur will thendisengage from the roller 49 on the blade 31 and the blade will be movedupwardly by the weight 42. The lowermost bottle will then move bygravity into the main chute 3G pushing the flap 55 upwardly as it doesso. The upward movement of the flap 55 will be limited by spur 58 whichwill contact the edge 5? of the flap at the end of the slot 54. Thislimiting action of the spur 58 is necessitated by the tendency of theweight of the bottles in the auxiliary chute to force the lowermostbottle into the main chute even though a bottle has already moved intothe main chute from the auxiliary chute. The latter bottle is sometimesmoved upward in the main chute and the bottles tend to jam. Thistendency of the bottles may be likened to the tendency of water to seekits own level. The forces exerted are relatively great especially whenthe auxiliary chute is nearly full since at such time some fifteen ormore bottles are stacked in a column one on top of the other in theauxiliary chute.

Briefly stated; when the last remaining bottle in the main chute 39 hasmoved to vending position, pressure thereof tending to hold the flap 55closed is relieved. Counterbalancing weight 42 causes the blade 37 to bein opposition to the spur 58 on the locking bar 13 when pressure of thesaid bottle in the main chute 35 is removed therefrom, said weight aslifting the blade 3'1, causing roller 19 to push upward against the camsurface 0 of the spur 43 which action rotates the bar 43 on its pivot 44and causes the spur 48 to move out from locked position with roller 49,per mitting the blade 3? to rotate on its pivot 39,

whereupon the flap 55 will yield to the lowermost bottle in theauxiliary chute which will move under the blade 31 into vendingposition.

The flap 55 also serves to slow down the movement of the lowermostbottle in the auxiliary chute when the blade 31 is moved upwardly. The

relatively great weight of the bottles in the iliary chute wouldotherwise impart a relatively great acceleration to the lowermost bottleand it would hit strongly against the ridges of the plate 28 with somedanger ofbreakage of the bottle as well as damage to the plate 29.Considerable noise would also be created if such rapid acceleration wereallowed to take place.

I The lowermost bottle in the main chute 30 is dispensed from the mainchute 30 to a slide 65 positioned below the auxiliary chute 32 by a pairof armed members 66 and 61 rigidly mounted on a shaft 68. The shaft68-is journaled in a block 69, which is rigidly secured to the back wallII in any conventional manner, and extends through a suitable aperturein the supporting panel [5. The shaft 68 is driven by a motor 59 mountedon a plate I! yieldably supported by springs 12 and 13 on a bracket Mrigidly fastened to the supporting'panel i5. A bolt I extending throughthe upper arced portion 76 of the bracket M contacts the upper portionof the motor and holds it in position against the resistance of thesprings.

Each of the armed members 56 and 6? has curved arms I: which are alignedwith the arms of the other. As the shaft 63 is rotated, an aligned pairof arms 11 engages the lowermost bottle in the main chute 3B and carriesit past an arced shield or shroud 18 which serves to keep the bottle inengagement with the arms until it is carried to a position from which itwill fall by gravity to the slide 65. The shroud 78 has opposite flangedends, such as the flanged end 79 shown in Figure 3 which are secured tothe rear wall l l and the supporting panel l5 by screws or otherconventional means. The slide 55 is similarly fastened to the panel l5and the rear wall H. The slide 65 has lateral extensions 80, '8! and 82which are disposed beneath the main chute and held to guide the bottleonto the slide 65. A disk 82a is secured to the shaft 86 and serves tokeep the necks of the bottles properly positioned.

The motor is started when a coin is deposited in a conventional coinoperated device 83 momentarily to close a switch 84. The switch connectsthe motor 10 and also a, relay coil 85 across a supply circuit 85. Thecoil 85 actuates a contact 81 which now connects the motor and the coilacross the supply circuit. The motor will now continue to operate, eventhough the switch 8 3 moves back to open position, until the bottlefalling onto the slide 65 from a pair of aligned arms ll opens theswitch 88 mounted on the shroud 78. The motor will stop and will notstart until a coin is again deposited in the device .84. Thus a bottlewill be dispensed from the main chute 38 onto the slide 55 each time theswitch 84 is deposited in the coin operated device '83. The coinoperated device may be in- 'sta'led in the front door (not shown) of themachine. and the lower end of the slide may be disposed in a suitableaperture in the door as is conventional in the art.

' Bottles of beverage of one flavor may be stored in the main chute 30and the auxiliary chute 32. Bottles of beverage of a diiierent flavormay be stored in the main chute 30b and the auxiliary chute 32b formedby the partitions 3|, 24c, 24d

- 6 and 89. The motor 10b driving the shaft 6817 will cause the arms 17bof the armed members 661) and Glb to deliver the lowermost bottle in themain chute 30b to the slide 65 each time a coin is deposited in the coinoperated device 83b.

It will be noted that the components of the vending machine deliveringbottles from the main chute 38b correspond and are substantiallyidentical to the components delivering bottles from the main chute 30. Adetailed description of these components is not necessary and-is notgiven. Each of these components has been given the reference numeralswith the letter I) added, of its corresponding component associated-withthe main chute 3E9. The main chute 30b is not provided with a ridgedplate such as the plate 29 of the main chute 30. This plate is necessaryin chute 30 because the armed members 66 and El prevent the side wall 12from being positioned suificiently close to the partition 24a. The armedmembers 6522 and 67b, however can underlie the partition 3| which may bespaced properly from the partition 240 so that an additional plate, suchas the plate 29 is not needed.

If a beverage of a particular flavor is very popular and outsells thebeverages in the chutes 30 and 38?), a plurality of auxiliary chutes30c, 30d, 36c and 309 may be provided for use with the main chute 360.These chutes are constructed in a similar manner as the chutes 32 and321), but instead of the inclined trough-like members 35 and 351), areprovided with an inclined angle member 93 and two inclined channelmembers e! and 92. The channel members are supported by rods 93 whichextend through the flanges of the channel members, the rear wall H, andthe vertical channel members I9, 20, 2t and 22. The ends of the rods arethreaded to receive nuts which rigidly hold the rods in place. The websof the channel members 9| and 92 and the horizontal leg of the anglemember 9i! have extensions which are curved downward as at 94 to formguides similar to the arced members 18.

A blade 31 and its associated structures are disposed between each pairof auxiliary chutes, as well as between the main chute 30c and theauxiliary chute 32g, so that the bottles from the main chute 380 aredispensed first then the bottles from the auxiliary chute 329, then He,and so on.

It will be apparent now that a bottle of beverage of any one of threeflavors may be selected by dropping a coin in one of the coin operatedmechanisms 83a, 831) or 83c.

The cooling coils 98 of a conventional refrigerating unit may be placedin a vertical chamber 99 formed by the partitions 89 and M0. Thecompressor unit and condenser coils of the refrigerating unit are notshown. A fan I 0| driven by a motor I02 may be provided for circulatingair past the coils 98 and the bottles in the chutes. The variouspartitions may be provided with suitable apertures to promotecirculation of the air throughout the cabinet of the machine.

It will be apparent now that a vending machine has been described andillustrated which has a main vertical chute and an auxiliary chuteconnected by a passage which is closed by a pivoted blade as long as abottle is disposed in the main chute above a predetermined level. Ahinged flap has also been disclosed which slows down the movement ofbottles from the auxiliary 7 chute into the main chute and whichprevents upward movement of bottles in the main chute.

It will be obvious that various changes and modifications can be made inthe illustrated vending machine without departing from the invention andit is intended, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion 01 said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a lever pivotally mountedintermediate its ends on said structure, said lever having a blade onone end for closing said passage to prevent passage of articles fromsaid auxiliary to said main chute, said blade being subjected to thefull force exerted by the lowermost article in said auxiliary chute; amass on the other end of said lever, said mass tending to pivot thelever and raise the blade to open the passage; a lock bar pivotallymounted on said structure and having a side exposed to contact with thearticles in said main chute; and a spur on said lock bar contacting saidblade for preventing upward movement of the blade to open position, saidblade contacting said spur and tending to cam said lock bar away fromsaid blade due to the action or" said mass; said spur being maintainedin the path of upward movement of said blade while an article in saidmain chute contacts said side of said lock bar to tend to move said lockbar toward said blade, said blade moving to open position to permitmovement of articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute whenno article in said main chute prevents movement of said lock bar awayfrom said blade.

2. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a lever pivotally mountedon said structure for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis,said lever having a blade on one end for closing said passage to preventmovement of articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute, saidblade being subjected to the full force exerted by the lowermost articlein said auxiliary chute; a weight on the other end for biasing saidblade to an open position; a lock bar pivotally mounted on saidstructure for pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis, saidfirst and second axes being perpendicular to one another, said lock barhaving a side exposed to contact with the articles in said main chute;and a spur on said lock bar contacting said blade for preventingmovement of the blade to said open position, said blade in contactingsaid spur tending to cam said lock bar away from said blade due to theaction of said weight; said spur being maintained in the path ofmovement of said blade while an article in said main chute contacts saidside of said lock bar to tend to move said lock bar toward said blade,said blade moving to open position to permit movement of articles fromsaid auxiliary chute to said main chute when no article in said mainchute prevents movement of said lock bar away from said blade.

3. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a blade pivotally mountedon said structure for closing said passage to prevent movement ofarticles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute; means biasingsaid blade to an open position said blade being subjected to the fullforce exerted by the lowermost article in said auxiliary chute; a lockbar pivotally mounted on said structure and having a side exposed tocontact with articles in said main chute; a spur on said lock barcontacting said blade for preventing upward movement of the blade toopen position, said blade in contacting said spur tending to cam saidlock bar away from said blade due to the action of said biasing means,said spur being maintained in the path of movement of said blade whilean article in said main chute contacts said side of said lock bar totend to move said lock bar toward said blade, said blade moving to openposition to permit movement of articles from said auxiliary chute tosaid main chute when no article in said main chute prevents movement ofsaid lock bar away from said blade.

4. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a blade pivotally mountedon said structure for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis forclosing said passage to prevent movement of articles from said auxiliarychute to said main chute said blade being subjected to the full forceexerted by the lowermost article in said auxiliary chute; mean biasingsaid blade to an open position; a lock bar pivotally mounted on saidstructure for pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis, saidfirst and second horizontal axes being perpendicular to one another,said lock bar having a side exposed to contact with articles in saidmain chute; and a spur on said lock bar contacting said blade forpreventing upward movement of the blade to open position, said blade incontacting said spur tending to cam said lock bar away from said bladedue to the action of said biasing means, said spur being maintained inthe path of movement of said blade while an article in said chutecontacts said side of said lock bar to tend to move said lock bar towardsaid blade, said blade moving to open position to permit movement ofarticles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute when no article insaid main chute prevents movement of said lock bar away from said blade.

5. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a lever pivotally mountedintermediate its ends on said structure, said lever having a blade onone end for closing said passage to prevent passage of articles fromsaid auxiliary to said main chute; a mass on the other end of saidlever, said mass tending to pivot the lever and raise the blade to openthe passage; a lock bar pivotally mounted on said structure and having aside exposed to contact with the articles in said main chute; a spur onsaid lock bar contacting said blade for preventing upward movement ofthe blade to open position, said blade in contacting said spur tendingto cam said lock bar away from said blade due to the action of saidmass; said spur being maintained in the path of upward movement of saidblade while an article in said main chute contacts said side of saidlock bar to tend to move said lock bar toward said blade; a flappivotally mounted on said structure and closing said passage; and'asecond spur on said locking bar, said flap being pivotally and upwardlymovable into said main chute to permit movement of articles from saidauxiliary chutev to said main chute, said second spur limiting upwardmovement of the flap to block oiT the upper portion of the main chuteand prevent upward movement of articles into said upper portion, saidblade moving to open position to permit movement of articles from saidauxiliary chute to said main chute when no article in said main chuteprevents movement of said lock bar away from said blade.

6. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a blade pivotally mountedon said structure for closing said passage to prevent movement ofarticles from said auxiliary chute to-said main chute; means biasingsaid blade to an open position; a lock bar pivotally mounted on saidstructure and having 'a side exposed to contact with articles in saidmain chute, a spur on said lock bar contacting said blade for preventing upward movement of the blade to open position, said blade incontacting said spur tending to cam said lock bar away from said bladedue to the action of said biasing means, said spur being maintained inthe path of movement of said blade while an article in said main chutecontacts said side of said lock bar to tend to move said lock bar towardsaid blade; a flap pivotally mounted on said structure and closing saidpassage; and a second spur on said locking bar, said flap beingpivotally and upwardly movable into said main chute to permit movementof articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute, said secondspur limiting upward movement of the flap to block off the upper portionof the main chute and prevent upward movement of articles into saidupper pprtion, said blade moving to open position to permit movement ofarticles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute when no article insaid main chute prevents movement of said lock bar away from said blade.

7. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a lever pivotally mountedon said structure for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis,said lever having a blade on one end for closing said passage to preventmovement of articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute; aweight on the other end for biasing said blade to an open position, alock bar pivotally mounted on said structure for pivotal movement aboutasecond horizontal axis, said first and second axes being perpendicularto one another, said lock bar having a side exposed to contact with thearticles in said main chute; a spur on said lock bar contacting saidblade for preventing movement of the blade to said open position, saidblade in contacting said spur tending to cam said lock bar to openposition due to the action of said weight, said spur being maintained inthe path of movement of said blade while an article in said main chutecontacts said side of said lock bar to tend to move said lock bar towardsaid blade; a flap pivotally mounted on said structure for pivotalmovement about a third horizontal axis parallel to and spaced from saidsecond horizontal axis, said flap closing said passage: and a secondspur on said locking bar, said flap being pivotally and upwardly movableinto said main chute to permit movement of articles from said auxiliarychute to said main chute, said second spur limiting upward movement ofthe flap toblock off the upper portion of the main chute and preventupward movement of articles into said upper portion, said blade movingto open position to permit movement of articles from said auxiliarychute to said main chute when no article in said main chute preventsmovement of said lock bar away from said blade.

v 8. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structu're'alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a blade pivotally mountedon said structure for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis forclosing said passage to prevent movement of articles from said auxiliarychute to said main chute; means biasing said blade to an open position,a lock bar pivotally mounted on said structure for pivotal movementabout a second horizontal axis, said first and second horizontal axesbeing perpendicular to one another, said lock bar having a side exposedto contact with articles in said main chute; a spur on said lock barcontacting said blade for preventing upward movement of the blade toopen position, said blade in contacting said spur tending to cam saidlock bar away from said blade due to the action of said biasing means,said spur being maintained in the path of movement of said blade whilean article in said chute contacts said side of said lock bar to tend tomove said lock bar toward said blade; a flap pivotally mounted on saidstructure for pivotal movement about a third horizontal axis parallel toand spaced from said second horizontal axis, said flap closing saidpassage; and a second spur on said locking bar, said flap beingpivotally and upwardly movable into said main chute to permit movementof articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute, said secondspur limiting upward movement of the flap to block off the upper portionof the main chute and prevent upward movement of articles into saidupper portion, said blade moving to open position to permit movement ofarticles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute when no article insaid main chute prevents movement of said lock bar away from said blade.

9. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a leverpivotally mountedon said structure for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis,said lever having a blade on one end for closing said passage to preventpassage of articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute; aweight on the other end for biasing said blade to an upper openposition; a lock bar pivotally mounted on said structure for pivotalmovement about a second horizontal axis, said first and second axesbeing perpendicular to one another, said lock bar having a side exposedto contact with the articles in said main chute and being pivotally andupwardly movable into said main chute; and a spur on said lock barcontacting said blade for preventing upward movement of the blade tosaid open position, said blade in contacting said spur tending to camsaid lock bar away from said blade due to the action of said weight,said spur being maintained in the path of upward movement of said bladewhile an article in said main chute contacts said side of said lock barto tend to move said lock bar toward said blade, said blade moving toopen position to permit movement of articles from said auxiliary chuteto said main chute when no article in said main chute prevents movementof said lock bar away from said blade.

10. In an article dispensing device, a structure providing a verticalmain chute and a vertical auxiliary chute, each of said chutes beingadapted to contain a single column of articles, said structure alsoproviding a passage communicating with said main chute and the lowestportion of said auxiliary chute whereby the lowermost 12 article in theauxiliary chute may pass into the main chute; a lever pivotally mountedon said structure for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis,said lever having a blade on one end for closing said passage to preventpassage of articles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute; aweight on the other end for biasing said blade to an upper openposition; a lock bar pivotally mounted on said structure for pivotalmovement about a second horizontal axis, said first and second axesbeing perpendicular to one another, said lock bar having a side exposedto contact with the articles in said main chute and being pivotally andupwardly movable into said main chute; a spur on said lock barcontacting said blade for preventing upward movement of the blade tosaid open position, said blade in contacting said spur tending to camsaid lock bar away from said blade due to the action of said weight,said spur being maintained in the path of upward movement of said bladewhile an article in said main chute contacts said side of said lock barto tend to move said lock bar toward said blade; a flap pivotallymounted on said structure for pivotal upward movement into said mamchute about a third horizontal axis parallel to and below said secondhorizontal axis, said flap closing said passage, said locking bar beingdisposed between said main chute and said flap; and a second spur onsaid locking bar, said flap being pivotally and upwardly movable intosaid main chute to permit movement of articles from said auxiliary chuteto said main chute said second spur limiting upward movement of the flapin said main chute and preventing upward movement of articles into saidupper portion, said blade moving to open position to permit movement ofarticles from said auxiliary chute to said main chute when no article insaid main chute prevents movement of said lock bar away from said blade.

References Cited in the file of thi patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,119,063 Wagner May 31, 1938 2,570,516 Bowman Oct. 9, 1951

